Week in review.

Research Experiment

A.c. Nielsen Could Face Rocky Obstacles On Solo Corporate Path

January 14, 1996|By George Gunset.

An old name missing from the Chicago-area corporate ledger for a dozen years is about to emerge as an independent once again, but few think it will be an easy road ahead for A.C. Nielsen of Schaumburg, a research company that tracks the consumer packaged-goods industry.

Parent Dun & Bradstreet Corp., a 155-year-old business information conglomerate, last week unveiled plans to split into three publicly traded companies: Nielsen; Dun & Bradstreet itself, which will include information services, Moody's Information Service, and publisher Reuben H. Donnelley; and a new company with the moniker Cognizant Corp., which will include Nielsen Media Research, known for its TV ratings, IMS International and Gartner Group.

A.C. Nielsen has faced intense competitive pressure, making it difficult to recoup large outlays on technology and operations.